--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But I must work on in full calmness and…" description: "\"But I must work on in full calmness and serenity... The world concerns me only in so far as I feel a certain debt and duty towards it, because I have w..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d7/vincent-van-gogh-486_aim_but-i-must-work-on-in-full-calmness-and_242792.jpg" --- # But I must work on in full calmness and serenity... The… ![“But I must work on in full calmness and serenity... The world concerns me only in so far as I feel a certain debt and duty towards it, because I have walked on the earth for thirty years, and out of gratitude want to leave some souvenir in the shape of drawings or pictures, not made to please a…” quote by Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d7/vincent-van-gogh-486_aim_but-i-must-work-on-in-full-calmness-and_242792.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d7/vincent-van-gogh-486_aim_but-i-must-work-on-in-full-calmness-and_242792.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d7/vincent-van-gogh-486_aim_but-i-must-work-on-in-full-calmness-and_242792.jpg) > “But I must work on in full calmness and serenity... The world concerns me only in so far as I feel a certain debt and duty towards it, because I have walked on the earth for thirty years, and out of gratitude want to leave some souvenir in the shape of drawings or pictures, not made to please a certain tendency in art, but to express a sincere human feeling. So this work is the aim-and through concentration upon that one idea, everything one does is simplified. Now the work goes slowly-a reason the more to lose no time.” [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He feels a duty to create art from gratitude, focusing on a single idea to simplify work and avoid waste of time. **In simple terms:** He wants to leave sincere art as a gratitude souvenir, concentrating on one idea. Key Takeaway Create with purpose and focus. Themes gratitude purpose focus artistic integrity Mood reflective determined Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal art projects - public exhibitions - teaching art - legacy building Key Concepts humanism simplification intentionality Questions to Reflect On - How does gratitude shape your creative process? - What single idea can simplify your work? A Different Perspective Balancing speed with depth can dilute sincerity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Calmness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/calmness/) [Concentration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/concentration/) [Duty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/duty/) [Earth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earth/) [Feelings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feelings/) [Focus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/focus/) [Gratitude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gratitude/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Serenity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/serenity/) [Shapes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shapes/) [Sincere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sincere/) [Souvenirs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/souvenirs/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [Pray with perseverance, with faith, with calmness and serenity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pio-of-pietrelcina/pray-with-perseverance-with-faith-with-calmness-and-serenity/) [Pio of Pietrelcina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pio-of-pietrelcina/) > [Plunge into the world, and then, after a time, when you have suffered and enjoyed all that is in it, will renunciation come; then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/plunge-into-the-world-and-then-after-a-time-when-you-have-suffered/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [“Finding the calmness or serenity in oneself effectively diffuses the judgments of others”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-hopkins/finding-the-calmness-or-serenity-in-oneself-effectively-diffuses-the/) [Gary Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-hopkins/) > [All art is a gift. It is first of all a gift that the maker can do it. It is then a gift to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/all-art-is-a-gift-it-is-first-of-all-a-gift-that-the-maker-can-do-it/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [I have walked the earth for thirty years and, out of gratitude, want to leave some souvenir.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/i-have-walked-the-earth-for-thirty-years-and-out-of-gratitude-want-to/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [I do not intend to spare myself, not to avoid emotions or difficulties. I don't care much whether I live a longer or shorter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/i-do-not-intend-to-spare-myself-not-to-avoid-emotions-or-difficulties-2/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [The world concerns me only in so far as I feel a certain indebtedness and duty toward it because I have walked this earth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/the-world-concerns-me-only-in-so-far-as-i-feel-a-certain-indebtedness/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [The world concerns me only in so far as I have a certain debt and duty to it, because I have lived in it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/the-world-concerns-me-only-in-so-far-as-i-have-a-certain-debt-and/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [Though I am often in the depths of misery, there is still calmness, pure harmony and music inside me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/though-i-am-often-in-the-depths-of-misery-there-is-still-calmness-2/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [Though I am often in the depths of misery, there is still calmness, pure harmony and music inside me. I see paintings or drawings…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/though-i-am-often-in-the-depths-of-misery-there-is-still-calmness/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [“Life is a continuous feeling wherein something you work for it to be happy in terms of your soul.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-lachica/life-is-a-continuous-feeling-wherein-something-you-work-for-it-to-be/) [Fernando Lachica](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-lachica/) > [It's a wonderful feeling to work in a country where the government's first concern is for its people, for all its people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-linder/it-s-a-wonderful-feeling-to-work-in-a-country-where-the-government-s/) Ben Linder > [Usually, when you're talking about work with other writers it's because something seriously bad is going on with your work and you've absolutely thrown…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chang-rae-lee/usually-when-you-re-talking-about-work-with-other-writers-it-s/) [Chang-Rae Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chang-rae-lee/) > [Do continue to believe that with your feeling and with your work you are taking part in the greatest; the more strongly you cultivate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainer-maria-rilke/do-continue-to-believe-that-with-your-feeling-and-with-your-work-you/) [Rainer Maria Rilke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainer-maria-rilke/) > [My feeling about work is it's much more about the experience of doing it than the end product. Sometimes things that are really great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-cumming/my-feeling-about-work-is-it-s-much-more-about-the-experience-of-doing/) [Alan Cumming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-cumming/) ## More by Vincent Van Gogh > [What am I in most people's eyes? A nonentity or an eccentric and disagreeable man... I should want my work to show what is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/what-am-i-in-most-people-s-eyes-a-nonentity-or-an-eccentric-and/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [The heart of man is very much like the sea, it has its storms, it has its tides and in its depths it has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/the-heart-of-man-is-very-much-like-the-sea-it-has-its-storms-it-has/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [“I take great care of myself by carefully shutting myself away.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/i-take-great-care-of-myself-by-carefully-shutting-myself-away/) [Vincent van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [There certainly is an affinity between a person and his work, but it is not easy to define what this affinity is, and on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/there-certainly-is-an-affinity-between-a-person-and-his-work-but-it/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [I confess I do not know why, but looking at the stars always makes me dream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/i-confess-i-do-not-know-why-but-looking-at-the-stars-always-makes-me/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [Ah, Manet has come very, very close to it and Courbet - the marrying of form and colour.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/ah-manet-has-come-very-very-close-to-it-and-courbet-the-marrying-of/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [We must not judge God from this world. It's just a study that didn't come off. It's only a master who could make such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/we-must-not-judge-god-from-this-world-it-s-just-a-study-that-didn-t/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [“Our goals can only be reached through a vehicle of a plan, in which we must fervently believe, and upon which we must vigorously…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/our-goals-can-only-be-reached-through-a-vehicle-of-a-plan-in-which-we/) [Vincent van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [One can never study nature too much and too hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/one-can-never-study-nature-too-much-and-too-hard/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [But by fighting the difficulties in which one finds oneself, an inner strength develops from within our heart, which improves in life's fight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/but-by-fighting-the-difficulties-in-which-one-finds-oneself-an-inner/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [Ah! My dear friend painting is to us what the music of Berlioz and Wagner was before us - a consolatory art for sore…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/ah-my-dear-friend-painting-is-to-us-what-the-music-of-berlioz-and/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [Painting demands an intelligent model.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/painting-demands-an-intelligent-model/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [That this awareness of my own fallibility will prevent me from making many mistakes doesn't alter the fact that I'm bound to make a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/that-this-awareness-of-my-own-fallibility-will-prevent-me-from-making/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [What is drawing? It is working oneself through an invisible iron wall that seems to stand between what one feels and what one can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/what-is-drawing-it-is-working-oneself-through-an-invisible-iron-wall/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [You will say that everyone has seen landscapes and figures from childhood on. The question is: Has everybody also been reflexive as a child?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/you-will-say-that-everyone-has-seen-landscapes-and-figures-from/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) [Explore all 508 Vincent Van Gogh quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) ## More Aim quotes > [If you aim at nothing, you will hit it every time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zig-ziglar/if-you-aim-at-nothing-you-will-hit-it-every-time/) [Zig Ziglar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zig-ziglar/) > [A good aim surveys the present state of experience of pupils, and forming a tentative plan of treatment, keeps the plan constantly in view…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/a-good-aim-surveys-the-present-state-of-experience-of-pupils-and/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [The Christian man must aim at that complete obedience to God in which life finds its highest happiness, its greatest good, its perfect consummation,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-barclay/the-christian-man-must-aim-at-that-complete-obedience-to-god-in-which/) [William Barclay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-barclay/) > [ He \[an earnest young reporter\] seemed to share the view of many intelligent, well-educated, well-meaning people that, while adult literature may aim to be… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-paterson/he-an-earnest-young-reporter-seemed-to-share-the-view-of-many/) [Katherine Paterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-paterson/) > [In Bosnia, little children shot in the head by a guy who thinks it's okay to aim his gun at a child.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christiane-amanpour/in-bosnia-little-children-shot-in-the-head-by-a-guy-who-thinks-it-s/) [Christiane Amanpour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christiane-amanpour/) > [Design certainly has a cosmetic, aesthetic aim. It always aims at making things beautiful. But relevance is just as important. I often say, 'If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yves-behar/design-certainly-has-a-cosmetic-aesthetic-aim-it-always-aims-at/) [Yves Behar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yves-behar/) > [My aim was to make money for the bank. You lose track of the amounts involved when you are engaged in this kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-kerviel/my-aim-was-to-make-money-for-the-bank-you-lose-track-of-the-amounts/) [Jerome Kerviel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-kerviel/) > [My only aim is to clock a time that everyone remembers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hima-das/my-only-aim-is-to-clock-a-time-that-everyone-remembers/) [Hima Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hima-das/) > [My main aim has always been to do good quality films with roles that have some substance. With Power and Beauty there were loads…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-henstridge/my-main-aim-has-always-been-to-do-good-quality-films-with-roles-that/) [Natasha Henstridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasha-henstridge/) > [ I really enjoyed it - being involved in watching rushes and playback \[in "The Invisible Woman"\]. Ralph \[Fiennes\] was very open to my input,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felicity-jones/i-really-enjoyed-it-being-involved-in-watching-rushes-and-playback-in/) [Felicity Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felicity-jones/) > [My aim is to be counted among the top players.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babar-azam/my-aim-is-to-be-counted-among-the-top-players/) [Babar Azam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babar-azam/) > [The single aim of my life is that every child is: free to be a child, free to grow and develop, free to eat,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kailash-satyarthi/the-single-aim-of-my-life-is-that-every-child-is-free-to-be-a-child/) [Kailash Satyarthi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kailash-satyarthi/) > [The aim of good prose words is to mean what they say. The aim of good poetical words is to mean what they do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/the-aim-of-good-prose-words-is-to-mean-what-they-say-the-aim-of-good/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [Prescribing hard work for the soft, or easy work for the hardy, is generally nonsense. What is always needed in any aim is right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/prescribing-hard-work-for-the-soft-or-easy-work-for-the-hardy-is/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [To be normal is the ultimate aim of the unsuccessful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/to-be-normal-is-the-ultimate-aim-of-the-unsuccessful/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) Browse all 3,047 Aim quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "But I must work on in full calmness and serenity... 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